Electric switch-gear



H. W. CLOTHIER. ELECTRIC SWITCH GEAR. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 3. 1917.

2 .2 M w W h AM H. W. CLOTHIER.

ELECTRIC SWITCH GEAR.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-3.1917.

Patented Nov. 2, 1920.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

'H.'W. CLOTHIER.

ELECTRIC SWITCH GEAR.

APPLICATION FJLED NOV. 3. 1917.

1 ,357,846, Patented Nov. 2, 1920.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE.

HENRY WILLIAM CLOTHIER, OF" HEBBURN-ON-THE-TYNE, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO A. RE YROLLE AND COMPANY LIMITED, 013 HEBBURN-ON-THE-TYNE, DURHAM,

ENGLAND.

ELECTRIC SWITCH-GEAR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 2, 1920.

Application filed November 3, 1917. Serial No. 200,170.

one carrying the immersed main switch and one set of auxiliary contacts this portion being movable relatively to a fixed portion which comprises the bus-bars and like stationaryconnectioiis and a set of auxiliary contacts cooperating with the other set.

In some switches of this type the connections from the bus-bars are carried to contacts within insulators of hell shape which fit over plug shaped insulators carrying the cooperating contacts which are movable on a carriage having a substantially horizontal path of motion. Thus the contacts have to be insulated by porcelain or other solid material and air and when very high voltages are employed there is a risk of static discharges occurring in the inclosed air spaces and such discharges may weaken the insulation.

It is to be understood that the contacts herein referred to as the auxiliary contacts are not those at which the main break takes place for those, in the type of switch gear referred to, are immersed in insulating liquid. This distinction is illustrated in the diagram forming Figure l of the accompanying drawings where A is the main break and B and B the auxiliary breaks. between the auxiliary breaks B and B constitute what is termed for the purpose of this specification the movable portion of the switch gear.

The object of the present invention is to arrange and combine the movable and fixed portions of switch gear of the armored draw-out type so that the auxiliary contacts, when closed, shall be immersed in oil or other insulating liquid. Further the arrangement is preferably such that the live auxiliary contacts 11. e., those connected to the bus-bars and like stationary conductors The parts erg always immersed in the insulating liqui It has been proposed to construct switch gear for a divided bus-bar system in which the separating switches and. all other contacts are immersed in insulating liquid but such switch gear is not of the type herein referred to.

In the accompanying drawings,

' Fig. l is the diagram previously mentioned.

Figs. 2 and 3 are vertical sections through one construction of switch gear according to this invention, and

Fig. 4: is a vertical section of another 0011- struction of switch gear also according to this invention. All the figures are diagraminatic only such parts being shown as are necessary for the understanding of the invention. v

With reference first to Figs. 2 and 3, Fig. 2 shows the movable part of the switch gear only and this portion is indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3 theremaining portion of that figure showing in full lines the fixed portion of the switch gear.

In F ig, 2 C, C are the auxiliary contacts carried by the movable portion of the gear which comprises a tank D adapted to con- "tain oil or other insulating liquid in which i immersed the main break switch E. The opening and closing of this main break switch may be accomplished by any convenient and known mechanism such means being merely indicated diagrammatically at F The fixed portion of the. switch gear (Fig. 3) comprises a suitable standard or support G carrying tanks or chambers H H for insulating liquid in which liquid the auxiliary socket contacts J,"J are immersed which cooperate with the plug auxiliary contacts C and C on the movable portion. The auxiliary contact J is connected to a. bus-bar K in a chamber beneath the contact and the auxiliary contact J on the other sideof the fixed portion is likewise joined to stationary conductors which may be in circuit with transformers or the like. It will be noticed that the two auxiliary contacts J, J

which are live that is to say which are.

joined to the bus-bars and transformers or like. stationarybonductors, are always imliquid forms part of the fixed portion of the switch gear the side tanks H and Hf also being fixed. The tank H contains an auxiliary contact J connected say to a bus-bar and the tank H an auxiliary contact J connected to a transformer or other stationary conductor. The movable portion of the gear in this construction comprises the main break switch E with the conductors E and E leading to it and the auxiliary contacts C and C with their connections to the conductors E and Efi. The movable portion also comprises the covers N and N which support between them an outlet or vent 0 through which vapors caused by the breaking of the main switch may pass out. It will be seen that the liveauxiliary contacts J and J are always immersed in the insulating liquid in the tanks H and H and that all the contacts are so immersed when the switch gear is in its closed position as indicated in Fig. 4:. In this construction the connection between the coiiperatin sets of auxiliary contacts C and J and 5 and J 5 instead of being a plug and socket connection as in the other constructions previously described is shown as a brush contact R which can itself be moved by means of say a cord S.

. The various covers or chambers over the permanent connections may be filled with some solid insulating material as indicated in the figures.

ee-mac I What ll claim as'my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In electric switch gear of the armored draw-out type the combination of a fixed portion, a central oil containing tank or chamber adapted to contain a main switch, a tank or chamber at each side of said central tank and adapted to contain an insulat ing liquid an auxiliary contact immersed iary contacts and the mainswitch are immersed in insulating liquid when the said auxiliary contacts are closed.

2. ln electric switch gear of the armored draw-out type the combination of a fixed portion comprising a central tank and two other tanks one on each side of it all adapted to contain insulating liquid, an auxiliary contactmounted on each side of the fixed portion and always immersed in the liquid- 1n the corresponding side tank, a portion movable relatively to the fixed portion, a main switch carried by the movable portion and immersed in the insulating liquid in the central tank and auxiliary contacts also carried by said movable'portion and cooperating with the auxiliary contacts mounted on the fixed portion said movable auxiliary contacts being oil immersed when they are closed. Y

In testimony whereof l have signed my i name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY WILLIAM CLO'll-HER. Witnesses:

ARcHmALn JoHN FRENOH, BENJ. B. RAINES. 

